A Hall of Fame cast promises a spectacular show at
Monmouth
Park on Sunday, when seven 3-year-olds
contest the $1 million William Hill Haskell Invitational (G1),
traditional centerpiece of Monmouth’s summer meeting.

Verrazano, an impressive winner of the Pegasus
Stakes (G3) here last out, drew the outside Post 7 and was installed the
slight 9-5 favorite by Monmouth oddsmaker
Brad Thomas. Oxbow, winner of the Preakness Stakes and second in the
Belmont Stakes, goes from Post 5 and is the 2-1 second choice.

Trainer Bob Baffert will go for an unprecedented
seventh Haskell victory – and fourth in a row – with Power Broker, who
drew Post 4 and is third betting
choice at 3-1.

The others entered in Sunday’s 46th
running of the mile and an eighth Haskell are Golden Soul, second in the
Kentucky Derby, Post 3, Robby Albarado,
8-1; Micromanage, winner of the Long Branch at Monmouth in his last
start, Post 6, Joe Bravo, 6-1; Vyjack, a multiple stakes winner earlier
this year, Post 1, Paco Lopez, 12-1; and, Pick of the Litter, who exits
a third place finish in the Lexington Stakes
on April 20, Post 2, Jesus Castanon, 15-1.

This year’s Haskell has a Hall of Fame glow, with two of the trainers and two of the riders members of racing’s shrine in
Saratoga Springs,
N.Y.

D.
Wayne Lukas, who trains Oxbow, joined the Hall of Fame in 2007. Lukas
will be looking for his second Haskell victory. He saddled Serena’s Song
to victory in the 1995 running, and that champion filly is also in
racing’s Hall of Fame.

Oxbow
will be ridden Sunday by Gary Stevens, who entered the Hall of Fame in
1997. Stevens, who is making a comeback this year after retiring
from racing in 2005, rode Horse of the Year Point Given to a Haskell
victory in 2001, and was also the rider of Serena’s Song.

Bob Baffert, who entered the Hall in 2009, has his 11th Haskell starter in Power Broker. The trainer has won Monmouth’s greatest race
six times – Point Given (2001), War Emblem (2002), Roman Ruler (2005), Lookin at Lucky (2010), Coil (2011) and Paynter (2012).

Verrazano,
trained by Lukas protégé and future Hall of Famer (when he hits the
20-year mark) Todd Pletcher, will be ridden by John Velazquez,
a 2012 Hall inductee, who won his first Haskell in 2006 aboard
Bluegrass Cat for Pletcher.

Verrazano
was made the Haskell favorite off his tremendous performance in the
Pegasus Stakes here on June 16, when he drew off to win by more
than nine lengths for his fifth lifetime win in six starts. The only
blemish on the colt’s record was his disappointing 14th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.

Bryan
Sullivan, a partner in Let’s Go Stable, which owns Verrazano in
partnership with Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith, was
on hand at Thursday’s draw and said the outside post was perfect for
the More Than Ready colt.

“We
didn’t want to be down inside,” Sullivan said, “and we would have
picked the outside post if we had a choice, so we’re happy.”

Sullivan, a Rumson, N.J., resident, said the Kentucky Derby was a lot to ask of a lightly raced colt.

“We threw a lot at him in a short time this year,” he said. “He went from an unraced 2-year-old into the
Derby, which is an incredibly tough race.

“But right after the
Derby,
we drew a circle around the Haskell as our goal, and we used the Pegasus
Stakes to get here. That race showed us he likes this track a lot. If
he can duplicate that race, we’ll be in good
shape on Sunday.”

Gary
Stevens, who has ridden Oxbow in his last four starts, including the
Preakness victory, said post position was not a concern for the colt.

“The
post never seems to matter with him,” Stevens said. “He’s a
one-dimensional horse who carries some good speed, and I just try to
stay out
of his way.

“I’m looking for a big effort from him Sunday,” the rider said. “I talked to
Wayne and he’s happy where the horse is right now.”

Baffert changed his mind several times before finally deciding to send Power Broker to Oceanport.

“The
horse is in the air right now, so there’s no turning back,” Baffert
said from his base in
Del Mar, Calif. “I was thinking about some other spots for him, but he
worked so well the other day, that I changed my mind and sent him East.

“The
Haskell is a very tough race, but I think he deserves a chance. We
don’t know how good he is, but this will be a good gauge.”

Baffert said that starting from the middle of the field will be fine, as long as Power Broker gets away cleanly.

“The
break is very important,” Baffert said. “If he can break well and get a
comfy spot, he’ll be up there with those speed horses.

“Rosie (Napravnik) knows this horse really well, so I’ll let her ride her race.”Baffert
said he’ll be watching the Haskell on television, instead of taking in
the festive Haskell Day atmosphere and eating hotdogs from Max’s
in Long Branch for luck.

“It’s
a great atmosphere,” he said. “The fans love it, Monmouth is a
beautiful facility, and the Haskell is always an exciting race. I told
my
assistant Jimmy (Barnes) that he’d better go to Max’s and eat two
hotdogs for luck.”

Golden
Soul, who rallied from far back to be second at 34-1 in the Kentucky
Derby, is trained by Dallas Stewart, another D. Wayne Lukas assistant
who has gone on to a successful training career. Stewart said that
given Monmouth’s reputation as a speed-favoring track, he expects his
colt to stay in touch during the early going.

“I
would expect him to be no more than seven to 10 lengths back early in
the race,” Stewart said. “He can make his run from there.

“The horse looks right now like he’s on his game. I’m very happy with him coming into the Haskell.”

Joe Bravo, who won the Haskell aboard Lion Heart in 2004, said Micromanage showed in the
Long Branch that he deserves a chance Sunday.

“We
got pushed far out on the clubhouse turn,” Bravo said. “I don’t think
I’ve ever been that close to the valet parking lot before. I thought
our race was over, but at the three-eighths pole, he tells me, ‘Hey,
jock, hang on and let’s go.’

Older Comments about Verrazano Slight 9-5 Favorite in Haskell...

I think way too many are putting way too much emphasis on a pace scenario that isn't going to materialize. None of these want to go blazing out of the gate like a fireball. Oxbow will set the early pace and Verrazano will track from his outside post just like he did in the Wood. Power Broker will sit comfortably in 3rd, and Vyjack and Pick of the Litter 4th and 5th. If Power Broker does decide to go, then that's going to be even better for Verrazano. Still plenty of time for the 3YO champ picture to change, and I believe the favorite for that award shifts this weekend.

I love "publicity" horses. Some yokel who write for baseball all the time, hears a name, finds a hard luck story to paste over it, and BOOM, we have a favorite that does not deserve it. I FOR ONE. LOVE these idiot articles because it takes betting away from some of the more logical ones, that under unbiased conditions, would be just medcium priced, but NOW will be lucrative enough to consider wagering upon.

1. Power Broker 2. Verrazano 3. Oxbow. Power Broker has been one of my favorite horses for a long time. I think if Power Broker and Verrazano go out for the lead, Power Broker will be able to outkick Verrazano.

I've NEVER been a big fan of Verrazano, I've stated that for quite a long time. I think the Haskell will TRULY give us a clue about how good he really is. I'll give credit where credit is due.... IF he earns it. Otherwise, I'll remain a doubter... We'll see on Sunday. If he gets a slow pace and romps, I won't be impressed. Let's see him face REAL pace and SURVIVE a REAL pace duell.... Like Oxbow has... I was never a fan of Oxbow either, but his gutsy run in the Derby and the only front end horse surviving (as Sword said), his Preakness (I wasn't very impressed, he had it easy, and his Belmont... His Belmont made me LOVE Oxbow... He ran very well.... Let's see if Verrazano has that ability...

I'm not trying to defend or discredit Verrazano but in the Wood. Johnny said he had more in the tank and he didn't need more to win and that is why he put away the wipe. Now many might doubt him and some may agreed but I'm going to wait until Sunday to make bash or praise his ability to run. However, I must say he did impress me in all his race prior to the derby. The Derby was a toss for me but of the run away freight train name Palace Malice. Anyone that was close to that pace was cooked. With that being said, Oxbow impress the shit out of me in the Derby.

Sosotricksy, tmallios said you were calling me out about Princess of Sylmar. I said you were too classy to do that. He's not classy, as you said, my best advice is to try not to communicate with him. Best of luck in the Haskell, if you are betting it. I'll wait before giving my opinion, as I have not handicapped it yet.

I have been here all of a month, how on earth could you possibly know who I idolize? I don't put much stock into any 'expert' as I am pretty sure I have posted before. Way to resort to slander though, stay classy.

prior to the wood memorial,all experts who you probably idolize,said that the wood was the best pre derby field assembled. he beat them.but not good enough for an efficianado like yourself.how dare he win a G1 and not do it impressively. i am surprised they did not drop him in class as punishment.so you are now setting a new standard amongst race horses.it is not important if you win.it is more important to be impressive.my friend i will give you the last word.i am done with this discussion.

He lost once to a fast pace yes. but in the wood he really struggled, and had the race been even half a furlong longer he would have lost. He had every opportunity to win big in that race, and there just wasn't enough horse. SUre he can romp all over the lesser competition, but I just don't see him being up to par with the horses like oxbow, orb, PM.